Operation Flashpoint: Red River is a tactical shooter. The player has the choice of playing the campaign co-operatively.[1] However, the game does not feature competitive multiplayer. The game does not feature a mission editor or SDK.[2] The player will be able to choose between four classes of Marines; rifleman, grenadier, scout, and automatic rifleman, each with their own weapons and abilities.[3] The player will gain experience during gameplay, which can be used to unlock weapons, attachments and perks. For example, a scout could acquire an enhancement that will reduce the amount of bullet drop.[4] The game's director Sion Lenton said "Operation Flashpoint: Red River is being built around four player co-op online play, complete with a strong narrative, new enemies and combat scenarios to deliver gameplay that immerses players in the reality of war like never before."[5] The enemies will be able to kill the player with a single shot.[6] The single player campaign will be divided into three distinct acts.[7]

The game uses a video camera style feedback in the game for the action. With shots near the player getting dirt in the players vision similar to a lens would, and damage scrambling the screen, along with losing stamina causes parts of the screen to scramble and freeze in some places until the player rests.

A terrorist group known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement launches mortar attacks on a U.S. forward operating base (FOB) in Afghanistan, prompting the United States to launch Operation Enduring Shield, invading western Tajikistan to wipe out the insurgent threat.[8] Outlaw platoon is tasked with capturing several villages and an airfield, along with defusing IEDs and taking several insurgent positions. The unit is then tasked with securing and repairing a dam, while at the same time reinforcing Forward Operating Base Viper, located close by.

Outlaw is ordered to quell the remaining insurgents located in a stronghold. After reaching the stronghold, the ChinesePeople's Liberation Army intervenes, having invaded eastern Tajikistan in retaliation for the ETIM massacring Chinese athletes during the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. Outlaw is ordered to slow the PLA advance while other Marines are evacuated to a secondary FOB. After Outlaw reaches the FOB, it is attacked by a PLA mechanized division. After a fierce battle, Outlaw barely escapes from the FOB, with their commanding officer telling them that they are the only unit who made it out.

The remaining marines conduct a guerilla war against the PLA. First they ambush and destroy a PLA supply convoy in order to cripple the PLA supply lines. After that, the members of Outlaw learn that in order to halt the PLA advance in western Tajikistan, the remaining marines need to prevent a set of bridges from falling in the PLA's hands. Even though they are heavily outnumbered, the Marines manage to hold out long enough for reinforcements to arrive from Afghanistan.

After the fight at the bridges the Marines start pushing the PLA back. They fight through PLA defenses and towns to secure an old fortress and establish a new FOB there. In order to have air support for the last battle, Outlaw attacks PLA SAMs at an old observatory. After knocking out the SAMs, Outlaw launches an attack on a town in the middle of the battle. After pushing though the town, with support from LAVs, Outlaw holds off a massive PLA counterattack with help from artillery and aircraft. In the end, the U.S. Marines push the PLA back across the border, into China.

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S/Sgt Damien Knox - Outlaw 2's commander, he is fond of colourful language and has his 10 Rules 'to live by', of which he brings up at every opportunity.

Sgt William Kirby - The player, he is in command of the fireteam Outlaw 2 Bravo, one of 3 fireteams in Outlaw 2.

L/Cpl Daniel Taylor - A marine whose face is never revealed to the player, he is the quietest and possibly most sensible person seen in Outlaw 2. He is the second in command of Outlaw 2 Bravo, the player's fireteam. This is strange because he is the lowest ranking person in the fireteam.

Cpl Jose Soto - The scout sniper and third in command of Outlaw 2 Bravo. He takes his job as a sniper very seriously and realises the danger the enemy pose to him and his fellow marines.

Cpl Ryan Balletto - The machine gunner of Outlaw 2 Bravo. He is the least realistic of any marine in the squad, with a deep southern - USA accent with a trigger finger. He is portrayed as a redneck with a love for weapons, explosions and combat. In his video documentary he appears to be aware of how people see him, but claims he is not the 'loose cannon they make [me] out to be'. He is the fourth and last man of the fireteam Outlaw 2 Bravo.

Sgt Sorenson - A sergeant who commands Outlaw 2 Charlie, one of 3 fireteams. He appears to be one of the most stereotypical marines in the squad, almost never showing any sort of thought but runs off pure adrenaline, he always seems disappointed when Charlie gets the boring detail.

Sgt McGee - Possibly the most realistic character in the squad, he shows intelligence and leadership qualities throughout the game, whilst incorporating the stereotypical marine. He and Sorenson are constantly arguing, usually with McGee showing the brains behind the argument. He is in command of Outlaw 2 Alpha, one of the fireteams of 4 men in the players squad.

These are the only marines with known names in the squad, the remaining 6 (three from Outlaw 2 Alpha and Outlaw 2 Charlie) are never named except a couple, but it is never made known which particular marine they are. None of these 6 have unique appearances and follow those of the player and his fireteam. Knox, McGee and Sorenson all have unique appearances and strangely for a shooter game, do not have script armour and can be killed by the player but not by AI. The deaths of one of these 3 or the player result in a game over.